A triac can be compared to a latching relay. It will instantly switch ON and close as soon as it’s triggered, and will remain closed as long as the supply voltage remains above zero volts or the supply polarity is not changed. If the supply is an AC (alternating current), the triac will open during […]
Circuits
Optocoupler Circuits, Working, Characteristics, Interfacing
OPTOCOUPLERS OR OPTOISOLATORS are devices that enable efficient transmission of DC signal and other data across two circuit stages, and also simultaneously maintain an excellent level of electrical isolation between them. Optocouplers become specifically useful where an electrical signal is required to be sent across two circuit stages, but with an extreme degree of electrical […]
Photodiode, Phototransistor – Working and Application Circuits
Photodiodes and phototransistors are semiconductor devices which have their p-n semiconductor junction exposed to light through a transparent cover, so that external light can react and force an electrical conduction through the junction. How Photodiodes Work A photodiode is just like a regular semiconductor diode (example 1N4148) consisting of a p-n junction, but it has […]
Zener Diode Circuits, Characteristics, Calculations
Zener diodes – named after its inventor Dr. Carl Zener are fundamentally used in electronic circuits for generating precise voltage references. These are devices that are able to create a practically constant voltage across them regardless of variations in circuit and voltage situations. Externally, you may find zener diodes a lot similar to standard diodes […]
Reed Switch – Working, Application Circuits
In this post I will comprehensively explain about reed switch functioning, and how to make simple reed switch circuits. What is Reed Switch Reed switch also called reed relay, is a low current magnetic switch with a concealed pair of contacts that close and open in response to magnetic field near it. The contacts are […]
Digital-to-Analog (DAC), Analog-to-Digital (ADC) Converter Circuits Explained
A digital-to-analog converter (DAC, D/A, D2A, or D-to-A) is a circuit designed to convert a digital input signal into an analog output signal. The analog-to-digital converter (ADC) works in the opposite way and transforms an analog input signal into a digital output. In this article I will comprehensively discuss how digital to analog, and analog to digital converter circuits work, using diagrams and formulas. In […]